Hi, I came across this Fiat Panda 1000 S at my local dealership. Had to stop and take a look having just come back from Italy and lusting over their motors. Is it a sign? Price is 3k and they're willing to take my 2006 panda as part exchange. As an absolute novice but lover of old Pandas, does this sound like a lot? Mileage is 112,861 miles...
Best to avoid or opportunity to invest in a classic? Any help appreciated. Thanks
General Help - Fiat Panda 1000 S
- Thread starter tjordan
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General Help - Fiat Panda 1000 S
Given its age 112k miles is not much and the FIRE engine is capable of much higher mileages.
See if the cambelt has been done, if not knock this off the price. They're non-interference engines (if cambelt snaps nothing will break) so it's not the worst if it goes but will be pretty inconvenient!
Other than that it's just checking for rust, the bottoms of the doors go, have a good poke at the bottom and underside of the doors. Sills rust too but other than that there's not much to go wrong! Dodgy earth's can cause funny electrics but very simple and usually free to fix yourself
See if the cambelt has been done, if not knock this off the price. They're non-interference engines (if cambelt snaps nothing will break) so it's not the worst if it goes but will be pretty inconvenient!
Other than that it's just checking for rust, the bottoms of the doors go, have a good poke at the bottom and underside of the doors. Sills rust too but other than that there's not much to go wrong! Dodgy earth's can cause funny electrics but very simple and usually free to fix yourself
Great, thanks for the info. I'm going back next week to take another look once they've finished what needs fixing so will scout out any rust. It's been kept in a garage for ages apparently so hopefully that works in my favour. Do you have any idea if the price point of 3k is a lot? I can't find any of these for sale online so it's hard to make a judgement. Next thing I need to work out is if it is ULEZ compliant...
I'm not too sure on the going rate at the moment but it doesn't sound too crazy. I'd bought mine for £900 in 2013 but that was quite a long time ago now!
I'd have thought a good condition, rust or mostly rust free Panda would be worth £3k, I've seen immaculate examples go for the 5k mark and tatty ones nearer to £1500
It won't be ULEZ compliant as it's not euro 3 spec, once it hits 40 years old it'll be exempt as you can register it as a historic vehicle but until then it will be liable for ULEZ (Well the London ULEZ anyway, I know there is some variance in other cities)
I sold Manda in 2004 for £600 and bought her back from the lady I’d sold her to, in 2021 for the same price. She’d given up driving at 81 and also ULEZ played a part as she lived in East London, and Manda isn’t London ULEZ compliant. However, I have spent in excess of £2,000 on welding and a long list of other new parts (pretty much everything from the ground, up to,and including some floor). There’s a thread on Manda’s journey, on here titled rustoration, if you want a good idea of where to check for rust!
www.fiatforum.com
She is an automatic with just over 110,000 miles under her belt and is used daily. I was able to get an agreed value on her of £3,500 through my insurance company and the insurance (including a broker fee of £54 and breakdown cover - which I’ve never used) was £117.00 all in.
Hope your second viewing goes well and let us know how you get on.
Rustoration | FIAT Panda (Classic)
Morning. I’ve finally got round to posting an update on Manda, my Panda Selecta. Unfortunately, she spectacularly failed her MOT due to rust in all the usual Panda places. The ultimate insult was the rear seatbelt becoming detached from the rear wheel arch when tested! On the plus side, her...
www.fiatforum.com
She is an automatic with just over 110,000 miles under her belt and is used daily. I was able to get an agreed value on her of £3,500 through my insurance company and the insurance (including a broker fee of £54 and breakdown cover - which I’ve never used) was £117.00 all in.
Hope your second viewing goes well and let us know how you get on.
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£3k isn’t at all bad for a really good one these days…if you can get it on a ramp all the better, look for structural corrosion particularly on the rear sills, inner and outer, and the ‘void’ at the rear sills/floorpan, do not be afraid to put pressure on these areas
…. and I think the S has plastic trim over the rear wheel arches on the inside so check around the base of these by folding the rear seat forward and then forward again, so the rear seat is touching the front seats. Oh and the boot floor edges too. 
It had a long list of faults on MOT failure March 2025, including leaking radiator and front strut, so I'd want to confirm those are new. All tyres should be new.
MOT history suggests a potentially long period of inactivity or neglect, so I would check very carefully for rust.
MOT history suggests a potentially long period of inactivity or neglect, so I would check very carefully for rust.
icheatatscrabble
Member
As above it would seem almost 20 years off of the road.... I think it could be a good purchase, but only as a "weekend" car. I personally would not have this as a daily driver, as your original post suggests (trading in your 2006 Panda).
I can guarantee once this starts getting used regularly things will fail, just like on my 1996 Cinquecento, which had only been driven for a 1000 miles in the ten years before I bought it. My Abarth is my daily driver, but I have driven around 6-7000 miles in the Cinquecento since I have owned it and in that time I have forked out for a couple of failures, Head gasket, clutch / clutch cable. Typically the head gasket failed within 500 miles of having the cam belt changed.
I recommend you take a look at Tasty Classics on YouTube, the guy who runs the channel picked up a Panda for £750, which had been off the road for around 15 years. Two videos around four hours of viewing.
I can guarantee once this starts getting used regularly things will fail, just like on my 1996 Cinquecento, which had only been driven for a 1000 miles in the ten years before I bought it. My Abarth is my daily driver, but I have driven around 6-7000 miles in the Cinquecento since I have owned it and in that time I have forked out for a couple of failures, Head gasket, clutch / clutch cable. Typically the head gasket failed within 500 miles of having the cam belt changed.
I recommend you take a look at Tasty Classics on YouTube, the guy who runs the channel picked up a Panda for £750, which had been off the road for around 15 years. Two videos around four hours of viewing.
If it’s right then I’d use it as a daily, considering I used a selecta and a Sisley the only real issues was a failing coil and a holed tank (the wife being over exuberant on an offroad course) on the Sisley, the selecta suffered from mice chewing all the wiring.
I’d much rather driving a car, that I can fix everything on at the roadside, than one that needs a degree in computing just to switch the heater on…but then I’m old, decrepit and like wehn cars could be identified by not just the badge
I’d much rather driving a car, that I can fix everything on at the roadside, than one that needs a degree in computing just to switch the heater on…but then I’m old, decrepit and like wehn cars could be identified by not just the badge
Nothing too troubling about daily-ing a MK2 Panda, I did for years in a carb'd 750 and aside from the throttle cable snapping never had any real refuse to proceed moments, kept up with traffic just about (can't expect much from 34hp) and always put a smile on my face. I'll certainly own another one day
As long as OP is aware of the need to keep on top of bodywork rust and expect inevitable electrical gremlins, issues the 169 is miraculously (mostly) free from.
I think I'd still prefer a car that had regular use and maintenance rather than off the road for who knows how long.
With no online MOT history before 2025 it will have been a while.
Are there old MOTs in documents to indicate when it was last on the road?
Also, did the place selling the car do the work to get it a new ticket? Would be interesting to have a chat with them about what was done, where the car was stored etc
I think I'd still prefer a car that had regular use and maintenance rather than off the road for who knows how long.
With no online MOT history before 2025 it will have been a while.
Are there old MOTs in documents to indicate when it was last on the road?
Also, did the place selling the car do the work to get it a new ticket? Would be interesting to have a chat with them about what was done, where the car was stored etc
The last tax ran out in 1999 as in the picture below
As stated already check over the Panda with a very fine tooth comb for rust etc as there might be a obvious reason as to why it was laid up 26 years ago, although sometimes if it has been stored in the right conditions you can get a very good car this way as sometimes cars that have been laid up are a result of elderly owners giving up driving or passing away etc which would have been meticulously maintained before being laid up. This particular Panda was laid up at only 9 years old & the mileage would have been about average for the age at the time which makes me think it could have been a major mechanical fault over rot but it all depends on how it's been stored for all those years, there was also a mention of a radiator leak on the failed MOT so I'd look at that, also look at the inner CV boots as these hold in the gearbox oil just like Cinquecento's & Seicento's. Also be aware of a car that's been either laid up for years or done very little annual mileage there will be some teething troubles if you decide to use the car as a daily driver, my Seicento is a very low mileage car which only had 22k when I picked it up, I've had it for 10 months & in that time I've clocked up 5k miles & spent over £2k sorting it including
: New Clutch as it was only ever driven around town for most of it's life
: Both driveshafts along with new inner boots,
outer cv's etc
: New bottom arms
: All 4 shock absorbers
: Both top mounts
: Exhaust
: All 3 mounts (engine & 2 gearbox)
: Temperature switch
There is more but there's a bit too much to list
but these are the sort of issues that will probably come to light with getting a car that's been sat for years as an ideal daily driver, basically anything with rubber, bushes, electrics etc.
As stated already check over the Panda with a very fine tooth comb for rust etc as there might be a obvious reason as to why it was laid up 26 years ago, although sometimes if it has been stored in the right conditions you can get a very good car this way as sometimes cars that have been laid up are a result of elderly owners giving up driving or passing away etc which would have been meticulously maintained before being laid up. This particular Panda was laid up at only 9 years old & the mileage would have been about average for the age at the time which makes me think it could have been a major mechanical fault over rot but it all depends on how it's been stored for all those years, there was also a mention of a radiator leak on the failed MOT so I'd look at that, also look at the inner CV boots as these hold in the gearbox oil just like Cinquecento's & Seicento's. Also be aware of a car that's been either laid up for years or done very little annual mileage there will be some teething troubles if you decide to use the car as a daily driver, my Seicento is a very low mileage car which only had 22k when I picked it up, I've had it for 10 months & in that time I've clocked up 5k miles & spent over £2k sorting it including
: New Clutch as it was only ever driven around town for most of it's life
: Both driveshafts along with new inner boots,
outer cv's etc
: New bottom arms
: All 4 shock absorbers
: Both top mounts
: Exhaust
: All 3 mounts (engine & 2 gearbox)
: Temperature switch
There is more but there's a bit too much to list
but these are the sort of issues that will probably come to light with getting a car that's been sat for years as an ideal daily driver, basically anything with rubber, bushes, electrics etc.
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